Morning Aftershock
by LTP-girl
Summary: Benson wakes up with a hangover in an unfamiliar apartment, with no memory of the night before.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't usually write SVU fics, but I wanted to try something fresh. Hope y'all like;-)**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Law & Order_ or _Law & order: SVU_ and their characters. I do not own _Prada._

Rating: T, for language and themes.

Morning Aftershock

By LTP-girl

Olivia opened her eyes slowly, her head thumping and throat dry, the repercussions of a heavy drinking session with Munch and Fin the night before. She sat up in the alien bed she had found herself in. She certainly hadn't spent the night at her own pad, having hardly any recollection of the night before. She glanced around the room, taking in the modern surroundings, a predominantly grey-beige colour scheme scenario taking place. Charcoal carpet, oyster walls, maroon drapes, asphalt pillows and comforter. She took particular notice of a pair of black Prada loafers discarded on the floor beside the bed, along with her own clothes she had worn the day before. _Swanky, not one of my usuals. _Given the state she had found herself in, she gathered that she must have gone home with some lonely guy she met at the bar, the man in question nowhere in sight. _Asshole, _she cursed to herself, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.

She threw off the bed covers almost in a mad panic, scrambled for her clothing, which was scattered in every direction on the floor, and quickly dressed. She combed her fingers through her tangled hair with frustration, and walked briskly down the hallway of the tastefully furnished apartment, admiring the miniature pebble-fountain sitting on the art nouveau coffee table placed against the wall. She stopped abruptly in her tracks, startled by the sounds of footsteps escaping the kitchen, realising that the man she had spent the night with hadn't left his apartment. She considered that he probably wasn't such asshole after all. She straightened herself up, pushed her hair behind her ears in composure, and set about making her way towards the kitchen.

She spotted a slender man dressed in a black suit with his back towards her, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Morning Detective, how'd you sleep?" He asked, his tone slightly flirtatiously teasing, his back still facing her.

Olivia's eyes widened in startled shock, detecting a slight New England accent in his tone. _Wait I know that voice._ She swallowed, sliding her hands in her pockets, trying to remain calm. "Fine," she replied with a forced smile. _Damnit, it would be a lot easier if I could remember who you were. _

He turned around to face her, sipping his coffee. "You know, there's this waffle house just up the street," he said, taking a seat at the chrome kitchen table. "Maybe we could get some breakfast there before I drop you home."

Olivia felt her jaw almost drop to the floor, her eyes bulging out of her head, now recognising the well dressed attorney. _Oh no, oh no. No, this can't be happening, no, no, no. This is so not right._ ..._Michael Cutter?_

She could have killed Munch and Fin for getting her so intoxicated the night before, but then realized that Cutter would probably be the one who would prosecute her for doing that. She heard herself scream inside her head, almost staggering backwards. The Executive Assistant District Attorney! How the hell did she swing that? Her heart was racing, and her cheeks were burning, out of embarrassment more than anything else. She just wanted to get out of there to escape his pensive eyes, feeling his gaze scrutinize every strand of hair that was out of place, and the crumpled jacket she was wearing, which had been left on his bedroom floor all night. And yet, a part of her found him attractive, dressed in a new suit and crisp shirt, ready to start the day. No scratch that, he was sexy as all get out.

_I could get used to this._ A devilish half smile played on her lips. "Any coffee left in the pot, Councillor?" she asked him mischievously. _Yes,_ _I could soo get used to this._

**What do you think? Feel free to coment:-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, here's the second chapter, hope y'all like. Stabler makes an entrance, and I've decided to write him having a full support in Benson's dating. (I mean, why would he have a problem with it? He is married after all). Let me know what you think;-)**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Law & Order_ or _Law & Order: SVU_ and their characters.

Rating: T, for language and themes.

**One week later.**

Olivia smiled to herself, placing her last pile of paperwork for the morning in her 'out' box.

Elliot poured himself a mug of coffee, watching Olivia with an amused smile. He plonked himself on her desk. "You've been in a good mood today," he noted in a slightly teasing tone, sipping the acrid sludge. He gave her a knowing chuckle. "Come to think of it, you've been in a good mood all week."

She gave him a tight smile, annoyed by how well he knew her, the words _piss off_ practically stamped on her forehead. She could see where _this _conversation was headed. _What's his name? How long have you been seeing each other? What does he do? Do you think he's hot?_

He couldn't help but notice the distinct twinkle in those eyes. "Soo, who's the knew beau?" he asked, taking another sip of his coffee.

Olivia let out a righteous laugh. _Unbelievable, a couple of smiles, and he thinks I'm seeing someone. _The sad part was that he wasn't wrong. "Okay, so I've been in a good mood lately," she responded. "But it doesn't mean I've been seeing anyone."

He crossed his legs, still nursing his half empty mug, his eyes playful. "Well, it usually does," he replied with a shrug. "I have daughter. I know these things."

She diverted her eyes towards the computer monitor and looked up her e-mails, wishing her partner would change the subject.

He tapped his fingernails against the cold china of his coffee mug. "I don't have anything against it," he assured her. "In fact, I think it's great if you've jumped back on the dating scene. It's been a while."

_No, no new messages today, _she thought to herself disappointed. She wanted something to occupy herself with to get Elliot off her case. She sighed with exasperation, relenting. _He's bound to find out sooner or later, one way or another. _"Okay, Partner, you've got me," she confessed, clicking her pen with frustration.

His smile dropped out of surprise. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," she confirmed, her expression turning soft.

His smile picked up once again, as he continued to sip his coffee. "That's great," he replied encouragingly.

She set about writing an e-mail to a social worker she knew in Juvenile Justice, asking her to arrange a welfare analysis on one of the youths the team had been currently working with.

Elliot didn't want to come across as a pest, and he knew as well as anyone that Olivia liked a certain amount of secrecy in her life, especially where dating was concerned, but he was morbidly curious. "What's his name?" he asked simply.

She continued tapping at the keyboard of her computer, her attention divided. "Mike. He's a lawyer," she replied, trying her best to be as ambiguous as possible. _How many lawyers are there in New York City with the name 'Mike?'_ She wasn't ready to let out a big can of worms with the whole Michael 'Hunky-Hotshot' Cutter scenario. Not just yet.

Elliot nodded with approval. "Mike, he sounds like a nice guy. So, what kind of lawyer is he?" he pressed with genuine interest.

At that moment, EADA Michael Cutter pushed his way through the double doors at the end of the squad room. He strode broadly down the isle of desks, a slight contented smile forming on his lips as he spotted Olivia at her desk, conversing with a dark-haired man in a blue shirt, who he recognised as her partner. He remembered meeting him once in Jack's office. _Oh,_ _what was his name? Stafford? Stabler? Something like that._

Munch and Fin leaned against the wall, their gaze following the handsome attorney as he passed the two detectives, their eyes harbouring a hint of contempt, a thick waft of spicy cologne lingering behind him.

Munch took a bite of the blueberry muffin he was holding in his hand. "What's the EADA doing down here? SVU isn't really his province?"

Fin shrugged, closing a personal file he had been reading, and dropping it onto his desk. "Beats me," he shrugged coolly. "But I tell you, he could knock out a cell full of offenders with _that_ aftershave." He took a seat on the edge of his desk. "He's probably down here on a mission from the DA." He glanced down at his watch, making sure of the time. _Knowing McCoy, he'd probably be indisposed, passed out drunk on the floor of his office by now._

"And what's with that devilish grin he's got on his face? He looks like the cat who ate the cream," Munch observed.

"Devilish grin? That's not like Cutter. That's more like McCoy," Fin pointed out, knowing very well the District Attorney's former reputation with the ladies.

Munch signalled for the EADA's attention. "Hey Councillor, what are you doing down here? The Twenty-Seventh Precinct's up further," he called out to him.

Cutter whirled around to face him, recognising his voice. He took a few steps back towards the two men to speak with them. "Afternoon Detectives," he greeted diplomatically, sliding his hands into his pants pockets. "No, I'm in the right place," he informed them with a brief smile, his eyes slightly twinkling.

"Yo, Mr C, what you doin' down SVU? Homicide gettin' too boring for you?" Fin enquired abruptly, taking initiative in driving the conversation, curious as to why Michael Cutter had payed them an unexpected visit. _Don't tell us he's filling in as our ADA until we get appointed a new one. That'll be the last of it._

Cutter shrugged. "No," he replied blatantly, a little surprised by their reactions to his presence.

"McCoy send you down to do his dirty work?" Munch jibed.

Cutter cleared his throat in composure, as he stared down at his feet. "I-I, um, I'm here purely for a social call, actually," he replied directly. "I'm kind of dating one of your department's detectives. I was going to take her out to lunch."

_That explains a lot, _Munch thought to himself.

Fin patted the EADA on the back, flashing him a congratulatory grin. "Good for you, Councillor," he replied. _All work and no play makes Mikey a very dull boy. _

"Yeah, hope she's a keeper," Munch chimed in, taking another bite of his muffin.

Elliot's eyes searched Olivia for an answer. "So Oliv' what kind of lawyer is he? The guy you're seeing, that is."

Olivia glanced around the room, her mouth dropping in surprise as she spotted the supposed 'beau' in question speaking to two of her colleagues on the other side of the room. Despite this unfitting realisation, she couldn't help but feel a warm flush of glee wash over her in response to his sudden presence. She glanced back at Elliot, who was impatiently anticipating her answer, excited by his partner's uplifting news. "It's kind of awkward since he's just entered the room, and standing over there." She nodded in Munch and Fin's direction, giving him a hint.

Elliot felt unnerved. _No, she can't mean...Michael Cutter? She just can't, for one thing, the guy is an arrogant, overzealous, prosecutor, with an inflated sense of his authority, and who seemingly has a twelve foot barge pole crammed up his anal-sphincter every time he prances before a jury with his often egregious and unfathomable conduct, cold-hearted schemes, and ruthless methods. No way. He's too self-righteous, too Cutting-edge, too Cutter, for Olivia. And he had to admit, Cutter could be a scary guy, and not just in the courtroom. She wouldn't look twice at a guy like him. _Or so _he_ thought. "Well, the only guy over there, other than Munch and Fin, is Michael Cutter from the DA's office," he said. "Unless you're trying to tell me Fin's quest for rigid justice finally one you over..." He stopped mid sentence, distracted by the larger than life grin spread across his partner's face. Her expression said it all. "Michael Cutter? You're dating the EADA?"

She leaned back in her chair, uncrossing her legs. "Elliot, you've got it in one."

Elliot glanced back at the three men continuing to chat amongst themselves. "_Nooo, you're kidding right?_" he answered in disbelief.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not."

Elliot stood up from her desk, standing with his legs apart, watching across the room. "But I thought he had a thing for Connie Rubirosa, you know, his ADA."

Olivia leaned over her desk. "I thought so too," she replied. "But now that she's pregnant with Cyrus Lupo's baby, it's kind of out of the question for him now, with her and Lupo setting up a family, and going on maternity leave in a few weeks. The last thing Mike needs to further tarnish his well-endowed reputation is to be labelled a _home wrecker_."

Elliot's expression transformed into a wry smile, amused by Olivia so loosely, and artlessly, referring to the EADA by his informal name. He watched as Cutter approached Olivia from behind. "I'll leave you to it," he said, turning away and heading towards his own desk. He didn't feel up to the smart-witted attorney's badgering.

"Hey," Cutter greeted with a warm smile.

Oliver turned around, smiling back up at him. "Hey," she replied, her voice wistful. She cursed herself for sounding like such a schoolgirl.

He leaned on the back of her chair. "Ready to go to lunch, sweet-hawrt?" he asked.

Olivia felt her heart begin to throb a little harder, finding the slight gravel hindering behind his New England accent delectable. "I thought you'd never ask," she replied, getting out of her seat and grabbing her coat.

"I made arrangements at this coffee shop around the corner," he told her.

"Sounds great."

They both made their way towards the main entrance.

Dr George Huang, who had just placed a psych evaluation report on Captain Cragen's desk, watched the two figures leave the squad-room. He heard the footsteps of a woman approaching him from behind.

"Talk about a prosecutor with playgirl-appeal," she said, standing beside him. "That Michael Cutter would make a great July centrefold."

Dr Huang nodded in agreement. "You're telling me."

**What do you think? Feel free to comment:-)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Cutter's been keeping something from Olivia. Enjoy:-D**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Law & Order_ or _Law & Order: SVU. _

**Central Park, Thursday, 1:00pm.**

Spring sunlight broke through grey clouds, and washed over the concrete pavement. Lupo stared into the distance with a look of bewilderment, not believing his eyes. He turned towards Bernard, who was busily rifling through the personnel file of their most recent suspect on the bonnet of the squad car. "Hey B, come check this out," he called out to him.

Bernard glanced up at him from the file. "What is it Lupes?" He began to make his way towards him.

Lupo pointed in the distance. "In the park, see that middle aged guy in the suit, holding hands with that young woman? I could swear that's Cutter."

Bernard squinted to get a better look, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "Hey, you know Lupes, I think you're right," he replied.

Both detectives stared on, as the two figures got nearer.

"Not like Cutter to go after the young ones... is it?" Lupo enquired drifting, not sounding entirely sure.

Bernard shrugged. "Maybe she's not his girlfriend. Maybe she's his niece," he suggested in an attempt to curb his partner's morbid curiosity.

Lupo shook his head. "Cutter has no siblings. I don't think she's his niece."

"Well, the daughter of a friend then. I don't know," Bernard persisted.

"She wouldn't be _his_ daughter, would she?" Lupo looked up at Bernard, his expression slightly pained.

Bernard continued to watch Cutter and the mysterious young woman swinging from his arm. "You had better hope not," he replied, grimacing gingerly at the thought, watching as the two stopped to exchange a passionate kiss beneath a sycamore tree.

Lupo watched on. "I think we have our answer."

Cutter parted from Courtney.

"Oh Mike, you're such a good kisser," she said almost breathlessly, resting her hands on his shoulders as she looked p at him. "So, what have you got planned for lunch?"

He looked around to make sure that nobody had been watching them. He rubbed her arm gently. "Well, I-I, um, I just wanted... to talk with you," he told her, quickly glancing down at his watch. "I told Jack I needed an extra long lunch break to drive my sick aunt to her doctor's appointment."

A wide smile spread across her face. "Great, that should give us plenty of time," she replied enthusiastically, as they both continued to strole side by side along the soft grass. "So, have you booked us a room at that hotel? You know the one, where we_... you know_." Her eyes turned wistful, reflecting back on the night in question.

He continued staring down at his feet. _Oh God, how am I going to tell her? _How was he going to tell her about Olivier_? _How was he going to tell her that there was someone else in his life? Courtney and Mike had begun their three month relationship purely on physical terms. He was heartbroken to learn that his ADA, Connie Rubirosa, whom he had been pining over for the two years they had been working together, was in love with Detective Lupo, and even more so after they both announced her pregnancy. Courtney had grown up without a father, and had developed a fetish for older men. He needed something to keep his mind off Connie, and Courtney needed a sugar-daddy to remove underlying problems from her system. It was a symbiotic arrangement that had suited the both of them, until now. And Cutter had suspected that it had developed into something more than just the occasional quickie on his desk when no one else was looking, at least on Courtney's end.

He looked back up at her. "Ah, no actually," he replied, stalling, trying to figure out how to break it to her gently.

"Oh. Well why did you ask me out this afternoon?" she asked, slightly puzzled.

He found the bewilderment in her crystal-blue eyes endearing, and felt a lump start to form in his throat.

Cutter diverted his eyes away from her, and glanced into the distance. He stared up in horror at the two men waving at him across the park, his jaw almost hitting his Prada loafers. _Oh shit._ He wandered how long they had been watching, and only hoped they hadn't seen a few moments earlier. The amused and slightly congratulatory grins spread across their faces told him otherwise, and he slid his hands in his coat pockets sheepishly. He had been sprung. Not only that, he had been sprung sucking the face off an intern. A considerably young intern. _Damn it, damn it, damn it. _His expression turned almost livid at the realisation that Lupo and Bernard were making their way towards them.

"Detectives," he nodded in greeting, as the two parties met.

"Afternoon Mr Cutter," Bernard replied. "Nice day for a walk in the park with a pretty girl, aye?" His curious eyes met Courtney's pensive ones. There was something familiar about her.

Mike smiled. "Ah, yeah, just getting some fresh air."

_I bet you're getting more than that, _Bernard thought silently to himself, a knowing glimmer in his eyes. _Certainly taking after Mr McCoy in more way than one, aren't you?_

Cutter moved to introduce Courtney to the two detectives. "You remember Courtney, don't you? She's one of the new interns we hired last Fall."

She shook the two detectives' hands with a warm smile.

"Oh yeah," Bernard replied, a sly grin playing on his lips, shaking her hand. "I believe we met at a fundraiser last month." _That's where I know her from._

Lupo stared back up at Cutter. "So are the two of you getting some lunch, or something?" he enquired curiously, changing the subject, trying not to sound too nosey.

"Um, yeah, we were just picking up some coffee and sandwiches to take back to the office," Cutter lied innocently. "You know how much McCoy likes his tuna-fish sandwiches, don't you Courtney?"

"Um, yes Mr Cutter. He likes them a lot," Courtney agreed, cottoning onto Cutter's implicit plan of action.

Lupo and Bernard found humour in the Cutter's discomfort.

"That's convenient," Bernard replied. "Lupes and I were just about to grab some lunch ourselves. We can come with, if like?"

Cutter groaned inside his head. _Looks like it's not going to be today, _he thought to himself, annoyed. He forced a tight smile. "Sure thing," he replied in agreement, leading the way. His hand lingered behind Courtney, intending to place it on her firm behind, but quickly pulled it away at the sudden realisation that they had company.

Bernard exchanged an amused glance with Lupo, both detectives taking notice of the EADA's odd behaviour.

**What do you think? Feel free to comment *^_^***


	4. Chapter 4

**Olivia receives disturbing news. **

**Manger et Boire et, Hudson Street, Manhattan, NY **

Olivia found herself sitting at a well dressed table of the elegant restaurant, wearing a burgundy, satin, tulip-skirted, formal dress, her hair swept off her face pinned back neatly in a scroll. She chewed a breadstick, awaiting Cutter's belated arrival.

She stared down at her watch, beginning to worry. She and Cutter had agreed to meet at the restaurant at seven thirty. The time was now pushing on a quarter-past-eight.

_Fashionably late._

She attempted contacting him on her cell phone.

"Hi, you've reached Michael Cutter. He is unable to answer your call at the moment, so please leave a message," she heard the robotic drone of his answering service utter.

_Where could he be? _she thought to herself with frustration, dropping her phone onto the table with a heavy thud.

She massaged her temples with the balls of her fingers, finding Cutter's absence an inconvenient nuisance, having waited over forty-five minutes without even receiving a single phone call.

A waiter approached her with a gracious smile.

"Good evening, ma'am, can I get you a drink?"

She glanced up at him, her eyes glazed over, her mind a million miles away. "No, thank you," she replied. She forced a small smile.

"Very well," he replied. He proceeded to the couple sitting behind her, her eyes following him.

It was then that she noticed a young blonde woman dressed in a simple black skirt suit making her way briskly towards her table.

She locked eyes with Olivia.

"Ms Benson?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Elise Schmidt from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office," she informed her. "I'm Michael Cutter's new assistant."

Olivia sighed, her expression peeved as she glanced down at the table. "Let me guess, you're here to tell me that Mr Cutter's been held up at the office, and he's going to have to take a rain check," she guessed sardonically.

The young woman glanced down at the floor, searching for words. "Ah, no, not exactly," she replied. "Although, I'm afraid you're right about Mr Cutter not being able to meet you."

Olivia's eyes turned pensive in confusion. "I-I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

She had guessed that Cutter's new assistant was a newly recruited a graduate, probably in her mid-twenties. Her expression was young, almost spritely, with small features. Olivia also sensed a slight innocence about her, she obviously having had very little courtroom experience. This would have explained her difficulty in forming her words, causing Olivia's confusion.

The young woman glanced back up at her. "Ms Benson, I'm afraid that Mr Cutter was involved in a terrible incident," she said calmly.

"An incident! What kind of accident?" Olivia wanted to know, her eyes widening with dread after hearing her words.

"He wanted you to know that he's fine, and not to panic. He's in a stable condition, although heavily sedated."

Olivia felt her heart race with alarm. "What is it? Tell me," she demanded impatiently.

"Mr Cutter was shot outside the courthouse this afternoon," she replied simply, as if merely reciting the facts of a court case. "The perpetrator is Sonya Paxton, your department's former ADA. She has been arrested, and taken to the 27th precinct for further questioning." The young lawyer paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "McCoy says that it was Mr Cutter's reasoning that influenced his decision in having Ms Paxton suspended, which has led detectives to believe that revenge was at play here."

**What do you think? Feel free to comment:-D**


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